Strange, but true.

9 Strange But True Health Tips

By Bill Phillips and the Editors of Men's Health
Jul 25, 2011

I'm a research geek. Every day here at MensHealth.com, at our 10 a.m. news meeting, we assess dozens of new studies from researchers from around the world. Then we publish the most surprising, practical, and empowering research—findings that can change your life today—in our daily news channel.
You probably run across some of these studies, too; the major ones get a lot of media attention. That's why I actually prefer sifting through smaller, more obscure periodicals, hunting for research no one else is reporting. For example, over the past week I've learned:

• You can lose weight by paying for groceries with cash; turns out, you're more likely to buy unhealthy foods if you pay with a credit card.
• Taking a vitamin D supplement fortifies your muscles, making them less prone to injury.
• Flirting at work is a hidden sign that your job isn't right for you.
• Google is making us forgetful, because we're less likely to try to remember information that we know is readily accessible.

Who knew, right? Here are nine more fascinating strange-but-true study findings we've run across over the past few years.
Live Longer by Changing Your Name
People with "positive" initials—ones that spell out things like J.O.Y. or W.O.W.—live nearly 4-1/2 years longer than people with neutral initials, according to a University of California, San Diego study. D.U.D.'s live nearly three years less. Other initials that may shorten life: I.L.L. and D.E.D.
Keep Your Mind Sharper by Being a Jerk
Research from the U.S. Administration on Aging suggests there's a marked difference between how younger and older people interpret misplacing their car keys. A young guy usually blames someone else. An old man typically blames himself. Never use your age as an excuse—you'll remain sharper longer. 
Break a High Fever With Your Armpits
Anything up to 102°F is mild and can be treated by drinking plenty of fluids. But to quickly bring down a reading above that, put an ice pack under your arm or near your groin. Icing either spot will cool your body's core. It's uncomfortable, but it works fast. Then see a doctor.
Prevent Claustrophobia by Smelling This Fruit
If you get nervous in small spaces such as subways, elevators, and that closet of an office they stuck you in, visit your local fruit stand. A sniff of green apple may help relieve claustrophobic sensations, says Dr. Alan Hirsch, M.D., director of the Smell & Taste Treatment and Research Foundation. Carry one with you. Also, if you're selling your house, placing a basket of fresh green apples on the table may make potential buyers perceive the house as larger.
7 WAYS TO BE A BETTER FATHER: Read one child's hilarious plea to the impatient father in Adam Mansbach's bestselling book, as told to the editors of Men's Health.
Disinfect a Wound with Honey
No Neosporin in the house? Dab the cut with honey before covering it with a bandage. Believe it or not, honey has powerful antibacterial properties. A study in the Archives of Surgery found that honey is capable of destroying almost all strains of the most common wound-infecting bacteria.
Stop Bleeding with This Spice
Next time you nick yourself in the kitchen, reach for the black pepper, says Roberta Lee, M.D., vice chair of the department of integrative medicine at the Beth Israel Medical Center. Run cold water over the wound to clean it, using soap if you were handling meat. Then sprinkle on the pepper and apply pressure. In no time, the bleeding will stop. Turns out, black pepper has analgesic, antibacterial, and antiseptic properties. And don't worry—it won't sting.
See Your Tailor to Cure Back Pain
If you have an aching back, it may be because one of your legs is shorter than the other, says Steven McCaw, Ph.D., a researcher at Illinois State University. Even a slight imbalance can cause the spine to curve to the short side when you walk or run. Eventually, the bend puts painful pressure on disks. Most people can’t tell if their legs are different lengths, but a tailor can. Ask one for a quick measurement. If he finds an imbalance, correct the problem with a therapeutic, Dr. Scholl-type insert or see a podiatrist for a custom-made orthotic.
Massage Away Nicotine Cravings
If you’re a smoker who’s trying to quit, try this simple trick the next time a craving hits: Rub the skin between your index fingers and thumbs and the center of your palms. A study in Preventive Medicine found that men using this technique smoked 25 percent fewer cigarettes in a month than 10 quitters who used traditional distraction methods such as chewing gum. The quick self-massage evidently calms you and keeps your hands busy.
Drink This to Lower Your Cholesterol 
The fiber supplement Metamucil can help lower elevated cholesterol levels. In one study, men who took one packet mixed in water before each meal for eight weeks experienced drops in LDL cholesterol averaging 7 percent. Metamucil also helps to lower blood pressure, blood sugar, and the risk of heart disease, according to the National Fiber Council.

Video Production Websites to Know

15 Websites You Need to Know

Type "Video Production" in a search URL and you come up with more than 24-million links. Finding your exact needs is time-consuming, but we've narrowed the process down for you.

Creative Cow, YouTube, Videomaker.com. We all know these sites as holding a vast wealth of information for film and video production. Creativecow.net is first stop central for the creative industry as a whole. Youtube.com holds (among most everything else) a vast wealth of video tutorials for any piece of software out there. Videomaker.com brings you inside the world of video production, with tips, tricks, resources and insightful industry news, expanding on the magazine and its community. There are many well-known and frequented websites, but where do you go to once you're away from the staples of video production on the web?
If you need something else, you typically do a search for it and pull up the first two or three results. That's how it's done right? It's true you can get by this way much of the time, but scouring the results takes time. You'll also have to sift through those sites that promise information but only want to sell you something. For every site you visit, you'll probably pass over thirty others, and for every thirty you visit; only one will really have all you want. In the meantime you'll be missing out on some real gems.
Presented below are some places you really should check out if you haven't already. They're full of information and resources, and can act as springboards to new creative tools and ideas.

www.videohelp.com - Please tell us you know of this site. It packs an insane amount of video wealth into an easy-to-digest repository. Mainly a site for listing, discussing, and talking about video tools, conversion programs and media handlers, it also packs a vast amount of how to guides, explanations of media formats, "underground" hacks and user contributed ratings and tutorials. The community is vast and frequented; if you ask a question you'll usually have your answer in no time.

www.mediacollege.com - Think of this site as a free on-line textbook for video production. The content covers the basics (and dips into the intermediate) of lighting, audio, video, equipment, and more. There are also some useful free downloads. The site will be especially valuable to anyone just learning about the business, or who wants to learn on his or her own.
www.kenstone.net - One of the more popular stops, this site is geared towards tutorials and reviews for any and all Mac-based production programs. Most Final Cut Pro users find this site an invaluable resource, but there's no reason the concepts can't be appreciated by users of other edit platforms. After all, the buttons may change from program to program, but editing is editing, no matter what you use.

www.streaminglearningcenter.com - There's video production, and there's video production for the Internet. While most of the concepts overlap, there's also a plethora of differences you need to understand if your primary distribution is going to be the World Wide Web. With equipment and tools evaluated, lighting and camera procedures examined and processing methods explored, Streaming Learning Center's got you covered.
www.emedialive.com - This site tracks the business end of disc creation and distribution. They keep tabs on new materials, industry movers and shakers, and hardware/software releases. There are also some great downloadable guides and FAQs to aid in DVD and Blu-ray authoring, reproduction, packaging and distribution.

www.designparagon.com - This site is young, but growing. Already however, the "50 Photo Manipulation Tutorials" list is well worth a look. Hand picked, the advanced methods are described with such clarity you'll be left wondering why you didn't think of them before. The fun will then be in taking what you've learned and incorporating it into your own projects, or finding ways to do similar tricks in your videos. For learning with a splash of inspiration, this site's worth a peek. We're anxious to see where this site goes in the future.

www.pbs.org/producers - If you're intending to market your product for television broadcast or distribution, this site is a must. Every network has similar information, but there is no greater pillar holding up broadcast specifications and professional procedures than PBS (being heavily government funded they pretty much have to be). On this page you will find information on proposing your project, acquiring funding, and the almighty "Red Book" of broadcast technical specifications. Don't feel you need to stop at PBS, however. If you can understand the information here, you'll be well prepared to approach any other network or station with your conception, and do it the right way.
www.filmland.com/glossary/Dictionary.html - Normally, recommending a site that is almost entirely taken down would be out of the question. However, in this case the page is so comprehensive that mentioning it is a must. This page of terms indeed seems to be the last surviving page of a larger site, but it's a great resource. Sure there are many film and video dictionaries out there, but this one's got them all beat. It's the only one we could find that defined such terms as a "#1 wood clamp."

www.filmscriptwriting.com - So you're having trouble writing a script. Need some development guidance? Well now you know where to look. This site is less about formatting and more about concepts for successful content creation. The not-so-long-as-to-be-tedious articles succinctly cover everything from the three-act play to writing realistic character dialog. It's the perfect companion to your favorite scriptwriting book.
www.displaymate.com - You've probably heard of this site and its products for calibrating your screens, monitoring video, etc. What you probably don't know is that this site also contains hardware reviews, comparisons, tutorials and information on all that technical stuff we're faced with both on the job and in the television department of our local consumer electronics store. If you do a lot of printing, you might want to check out their printer calibration guide. If you want to know which portable media player has the best screen, they've got you covered. This is one of those sites that has a ton of information you really need to know, but never knew you needed it.
www.codecs.com - Sounds more like something a computer geek would be interested in right? Well, it sort of rides the line, but these days we're all faced at some point with audio or video in a format we've never seen, or asked to post in a format we wouldn't normally use. You could go searching for the appropriate information and dig around until you find the proper support files, or you could stop here, learn all about it in a quick brief, and hit the link to jump right to the installer files at the source. The site also compares codecs, containers and the most popular codec packs available. With all the time you've just saved, browse their articles covering everything from copy protection to resolving error messages in popular players and transcoders.
www.1001freefonts.com - Everyone needs fonts sooner or later. You may need to pick and choose, but there are some detailed fonts that look really good inside video productions. Others are variations of some of your favorite show and movie titles, or other popular fonts that cost money to use. Unlike those, everything here is free. If you don't see exactly what you want, head on over to www.dafont.com. Fonts here have both Mac and PC versions. Just be sure to check the usage rights, as each one on this site will be different.
www.stonewashed.net/free-music.html - Forget buyout music, this page links to a bunch of sites offering music for you to use in your productions. In most cases, the only thing they ask for in return is a proper credit in the production. The selection isn't enormous, but if you don't find what you want, use the page as a springboard to get in touch with some of the lesser-known (and less expensive) royalty-free buyout sites. (note the main page has no direct link to this resource page, but feel free to check it out anyway)
www.sounddogs.com - OK, this one isn't free, but it's so good it needs to be mentioned. Perhaps the largest online showcase of downloadable sound effects, Sound Dogs has an easy to navigate layout that will get you right to what you want. When you're ready, you can buy just the right effects for your productions.
www.filmmakeriq.com - What we have here is akin to an online newspaper for the film and video world. There are hundreds of articles on all subjects dating back for years. One in particular you must check out is at filmmakeriq.com/2009/04/588-free-film-contracts-and-forms, which aggregates a mind-blowing amount of legal forms for use on your productions. Talent releases, location contracts, rental agreements, insurance, it's all …

Men (or women) of a certain age.

When Should You Apply for Social Security?

by Amy E. Buttell
Friday, October 8, 2010

Retirement planning is complicated, beginning with the decision about when to begin taking your Social Security benefits. On one hand, if you need the money and don't expect to live into your 80s, it is tempting to take Social Security as early as possible — at age 62 — to benefit from the income stream. On the other hand, you can increase your monthly payment considerably by waiting until age 70. Most people underestimate how long they are going to live.
"I like to frame the Social Security benefits issue discussion with my clients by offering a definition of it as an inflation-protected joint and survivor annuity backed by the U.S. government," says Tim Kober, a Certified Financial Planner with Cedar Financial Advisors in Portland, Ore.
"This provides context for the 'when to claim' question," he says. "The present value of Social Security payments is equal over your expected lifetime, regardless of when you claim it. If, as Clint Eastwood would say, 'You're feeling lucky,' claiming late makes sense."
Differences in Benefits Can be Substantial
As a first step in this retirement planning exercise, find out approximately how much of a monthly benefit you'll get under different scenarios. Use Bankrate's Social Security calculator to get an estimate; actual benefits will depend on your personal work history. For a more accurate idea, the Social Security website offers a secure retirement estimator calculator.
As an example, the table below illustrates the monthly benefit due to a fictitious worker at various ages. If the worker waits until full retirement age, his or her monthly income will be about 63 percent higher than if he or she begins drawing benefits at age 62 -- his or her earliest opportunity. If the worker waits until age 70, his or her monthly income from Social Security will be more than double the amount collected at age 62.

Age	Monthly benefit
62	$1,100
67 (full retirement age)	$1,791
70	$2,369

Retirement Savings, Benefits Influence Decision
Social Security benefits are just one piece of the retirement income puzzle. You also need to take into account how much you -- and your spouse, if you're married -- have in retirement savings, whether you have pension benefits and if you have company retirement health benefits. Tally up how much income you expect you'll need, says Michael Kay, CFP, CPA and a financial planner with Financial Focus in Livingston, N.J.
"You have to look at your cash-flow needs," he says. "How important is it to your financial survival or to your cash-flow plans to have that money early in retirement versus several years down the road?
More Complicated for Married Couples
When engaging in retirement planning, married couples have two decisions to make. It makes sense to run the calculators for both spouses, looking at the different scenarios and combinations of income that could result from claiming Social Security benefits at different intervals, says Kay.
"It makes sense to play some 'what if' games to see how it will work on a cash-flow basis and a tax basis," he adds.
In some cases, where, for example, a wife had stayed home with the kids and didn't make as much money as her husband, Social Security benefits may be significantly lower, says Kober. In such cases, a wife can collect the equivalent of half of her husband's benefit if it's higher than the benefit she would receive based on her own earnings record. If the wife begins collecting checks earlier than full retirement age, however, she'll receive less than half of her husband's benefit.
Widowed, Divorced Have Options
Divorced spouses who have not remarried have the option of claiming their own benefits or those based on the record of a former spouse if that would be more beneficial, provided the marriage lasted at least 10 years.
Widows or widowers may claim survivor's benefits even if their spouse dies after they have already started receiving Social Security. Of course, if your deceased spouse's benefit is less than yours, it doesn't make sense to apply for survivor's benefits.
Many financial planners advise men to delay claiming benefits for as long as possible so they can leave a better benefit for their wives, since women generally have a longer life expectancy than men.
According to the Social Security website, these are the typical payouts for survivors:
•A widow or widower, at full retirement age or older, generally receives 100 percent of the worker's basic benefit amount;
•A widow or widower, age 60 or older, but under full retirement age, receives about 71-99 percent of the worker's basic benefit amount; or
•A widow or widower, any age, with a child younger than age 16, receives 75 percent of the worker's benefit amount.
Working Impacts Benefits Due to Taxes
If you continue to work, or go back to work, while claiming Social Security benefits, your benefits could be reduced, depending on how much money you make. These benefits are not lost forever, but deferred until you reach full retirement age.
"For people who are still working, or who may go back to work after claiming benefits, you need to realize that some or most of your benefit will be reduced, depending on how much money you're making," says Kay.
Here's how it works, according to the Social Security Administration:
•If you start receiving benefits before your normal or full retirement age, which depends on when you were born, your monthly benefit is reduced by $1 for each $2 you earn above a certain amount ($14,160 in 2010).
•If you start getting benefits in the year that you reach your full retirement age, your monthly benefit will be reduced by $1 for every $3 you earn above a certain amount ($37,680 in 2010).
•If you wait to collect benefits until after you reach your full retirement age, you can continue to receive your benefits without reduction no matter how much you earn.
In addition, keep in mind that if your income exceeds a certain threshold, your Social Security benefits can be taxed.

13 Ideas for Cheaper (and Better!) Living

We all know that small things that we do can, over time, add up to big savings. When you view frugality as a lifestyle, it becomes easier to find ways to save money every day. Here are 13 every day things you can do to save money and live more frugally:

1. Use public transportation: If you have public transportation, use that instead of driving yourself in to work. You can get good exercise on your way to and from the stops, boosting your health and reducing those costs — on top of saving money on gas.
2. Look for discounts: Clip coupons, find promo codes, and comparison shop, to get good discounts on a number of items that you normally buy.
3. Avoid buying things you don’t need or want: Periodically go through your home and see what you have. Before you buy something, make sure that you really need or want it. Double check to make sure you don’t already have it stashed away somewhere, and then really think about whether you will use. You can also declutter and simplify your life by refusing to bring unnecessary items into your home.
4. Use the library: Books, music, periodicals and movies can all be found at your local public library. A great way to entertain yourself without spending a lot of money.
5. Go online: You can find free TV shows online, and you can watch streaming movies for cheap. Get rid of the cable or satellite subscription and get your entertainment for a low cost online.
6. Switch to VoIP: If you’re getting high speed Internet for movies and TV anyway, get rid of your landline and use VoIP. You can get phone service for a low price, or you can use Skype and pay even less. I love Skype; it’s how I make international calls. Bonus: Get your friends and family on Skype, and you all talk for free.
7. Plan around leftovers: My husband and I make enough for two dinners, and have leftovers. If you are feeling really ambitious, you can cook extras and freeze them for later. Meal planning will help you grocery shop more effectively, and reduce the panicked run for takeout because you didn’t plan for dinner. You can plan healthier meals as well.
8. Stop using the dryer: Hang your clothes to dry. This can be done outside, or done using drying racks in your home. We have a large, seldom used bathroom downstairs near the laundry area just perfect for this purpose. You’ll save on utility costs, and your clothes will last longer.
9. Put change into a savings jar: Then every couple of months, take it to bank, invest it, or just use it for a “fun night”. This can help you get into the habit of saving, and provide you with a little extra.
10. Ask for stuff when you need it: Let people know when you are looking for something specific. You might end up getting something on second for free or really cheap, just by getting the word out.
11. Learn to change your own oil: It doesn’t take that long, and it’s not that hard. You can save a lot when you do this. Check with your city’s waste department to learn how to discard the oil. Many towns have free drop offs that will take care of the oil for you.
12. Plan family game nights: Instead of going out to dinner or the movies, consider having a family game night once a week. This is an inexpensive way to have a lot of fun, and spend quality time with your loved ones.
13. Bring your lunch: Prepare your own lunch for work, and prepare your children’s lunches for school. This will save on buying lunch. Many offices have fridges and microwaves, so it is possible to bring leftovers for lunch. I did this frequently when I had an office job, and still do it now that I work from home. We make enough for two dinners, and there is usually some left for a lunch — which I enjoy the third day. Plus, the food you bring is often healthier than what you buy.

Android Safety

Tips for a Malware-Free Android Smartphone

With mobile malware on the rise, you can never be too careful with your device and your personal data.

By Armando Rodriguez, PCWorld    Jul 12, 2011 12:40 pm

Since more and more malware is emerging for the Android platform every day, you must pay strict attention to what is happening on your phone or tablet. Smartphones are essentially computers--and all computers are vulnerable to viruses, phishing, and other attacks from malicious software.
Here are five quick tips to help you keep your Android phone or tablet free of malware.
Always research the publisher of an app: What other apps does it offer? Does the publisher have its own website? Do any of the other apps look a bit shady? If so, you should probably stay away. Read online reviews, but remember that Android Market reviews may not always be truthful. Check around to see what reputable websites such as PCWorld, AppBrain, or AppLib are saying about the app before you press the download button.
Always check app permissions: Whenever you download or update an app, you see a list of permissions for it. An alarm clock app, for instance, probably shouldn't need to look through your contacts. The general rule of thumb: If an app is asking for more than what it needs to do its job, you should skip it.
Avoid directly installing Android Package files (APKs): When Angry Birds first came to Android, you could get it only by going through a third-party app store and "sideloading" it, installing the app by using an APK file. Although Angry Birds wasn't malware, in general it is highly advisable not to download and install APK files from third-party websites or app stores. Most of the time you won't know what the file contains until you install the file--and by then it's too late.
Put a malware and antivirus scanner on your phone: Several different big-name security companies already offer mobile-security options, many of them free. Antivirus apps such as Lookout Mobile Security can scan your phone and make sure that no malware is installed. On top of that, most of the utilities include features that allow you to track your phone--and perhaps even remotely lock it and wipe your personal data--if you lose the handset.
Watch out for scams: Believe it or not, your smartphone is prone to phishing scams, malicious sites, and drive-by downloads, just as your PC is. Malicious sites often try to trick people into entering personal information about themselves; even more annoying, however, is some sites' ability to automatically download malware to your phone. Because of a phone's smaller screen, users are three times more likely to click a suspicious link on a phone than when they are using a PC. Again, though, Lookout Mobile Security has your back: Its Safe Browsing feature is currently available in the Premium version of its app.
If you follow these steps and keep a watchful eye on your device, you should be able to enjoy your phone malware-free.

Some downloads to consider

Must-Have Downloads for School

At college, you'll spend a lot of time with your PC. We've collected some free and low-budget downloadable favorites for work and play.

By Editors, PCWorld    Jul 10, 2011 6:00 pm

Heading off to school? We've rounded up must-have downloads to take along. Included are security tools to keep your PC private and malware-free. You'll also need an office suite for all those papers and spreadsheets, and maybe a writing helper to organize your thoughts. You can decorate your desktop with a pick-me-up wallpaper, or give your Windows 7 system a complete sci-fi makeover. Better yet, you can donate your PC's idle time to make the world a better place. Like you, your computer has important work to do.
Avast Free Antivirus This free antivirus software provides good, all-around malware detection in a speedy, well-designed package. We liked its easy installation process, smooth interface design, and minimal impact on system performance.
Hotspot Shield The freebie Hotspot Shield promises to keep you safe when you connect to a hotspot at a café, an airport, or some other public location. It claims to encrypt all of your data while you're in a public location, protecting you from snoops. The program is simplicity itself: Just install it and run it.
LibreOffice This brand-new spin on OpenOffice.org includes the Writer word processor, the Calc spreadsheet module, Impress for presentations, Draw for sketching and diagrams, the Base database front end, and Math, a simple equation editor. Much as with OpenOffice, the interface is familiar for anyone used to Microsoft Office, but also easy to personalize.
Scrivener This content-generation tool uses a "corkboard" metaphor, showing your notes and ideas as pinned to the board, and allowing you to stamp "Rough Draft," "Final," or the like on them. It integrates the corkboard, an outliner, and a text editor, and includes the ability to view disparate snippets of text as a continuous document.
NitroPDF Reader Now in version 2, this PDF viewer/creator/editor offers an interface that mimics Microsoft Office's to a great extent (2007 and now 2010). It's noticeably speedier than the previous edition at opening and saving PDFs, too. Nitro PDF is easily the fastest PDF viewer, and the best free PDF editor around. It's a must-download for anyone who deals with PDFs.
Evernote This combination of software and Web-based service lets you capture information from multiple sources, including from the Web and email, as well as through a digital camera, scanner, or microphone. It then lets you organize your notes, annotate them, tag them, and search them. You can make them available not just on your PC, but on the Web and on mobile devices, as well.
Skype Through Skype you can make VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) phone calls for free to anyone in the world who also uses Skype on their PC, and make inexpensive calls from your PC to landlines and cell phones worldwide. It's also an instant messenger.
Good Morning Wallpaper Does your computer have a hard time getting started in the morning? Load up Good Morning Wallpaper, and give it a jolt of caffeine. (Disclaimer: Your PC may not actually run faster, but it will definitely look cooler.)
Doctor Who Windows 7 Theme The time-travel show Doctor Who debuted on the BBC in 1963, and since then 11 actors have played different incarnations of the Doctor. This Windows 7 theme starts with the very first Doctor and displays images of all the Doctors to the present, with glimpses of his time machine, the TARDIS (inside and out), over the years.
BOINC This screensaver takes idle cycles on your PC and uses them to perform processing for a variety of scientific projects. You'll be able to choose and switch among numerous projects, including efforts to control malaria, search for extraterrestrial life, and help with medical research.
Folding@Home This free program helps scientists gain a better understanding of a wide range of illnesses, including Alzheimer's, cystic fibrosis, Huntington's, and Parkinson's. Rather than invest in a huge supercomputer, Folding@Home harnesses the collective computing power of Windows, Mac, and Linux computers, as well as PlayStation 3 consoles. Each platform has a Folding@Home client. This is not a very exciting application: You can get it to display a cool-looking 3D molecule on your screen, and that's about it. The excitement comes later, when medical advances fend off life-threatening diseases--and you know that you helped find the cure.

Ramen, Ramen, Who's Got the Ramen?

1. Veggie Ramen  Toss a tablespoon of butter into a skillet. Add 2 tablespoons each of thinly-sliced carrots, frozen green beans, frozen white corn, and edamame. Cook just until softened. Add a packet of Pork Ramen, 2 cups of water, and cook until the noodles are cooked through, about 6 minutes. Add seasoning packet. Serve and enjoy.

2. Egg Foo Ramen. In a small bowl, whisk an egg with 1 tablespoon of water until well beaten. Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a small saucepan. Pour egg into the water, then add the noodles. Cook just until tender. Season with seasoning packet. Garnish with sliced green onions.

3. Chinese Chicken Salad. Shred 1/4 a head of cabbage, 1 breast of chicken, and 1/4 white onion. Add 1 package of crushed Chicken-flavored Ramen.  In a small bowl, whisk together the seasoning packet, 2 tablespoons of oil, 2 tablespoons of white vinegar, and 2 tablespoons of sugar. Toss dressing into salad, serve and enjoy.

4. Ham Fried Ramen. A simple take on Fried Rice, cook a packet of Pork Ramen until the noodles are tender. Drain completely. In a skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of sesame oil and 1 tablespoon olive oil until sizzling. Add 1/4 cup diced ham and 1/4 cup of frozen peas & carrots to the oil. Immediately toss in the noodles. Crack an egg into the mixture and stir until well cooked and distributed around the noodle mixture. Season with soy sauce, garnish with a handful of diced green onions.

5. Parmesan Ramen. Cook a packet of ramen noodles. Save the flavoring packet for another day. Once the noodles are cooked, drain the water from them completely. Top with a pat of butter, a bit of freshly-shredded parmesan, and some chopped parsley.

Imagine what you could do with a PS3???

Does the Space Shuttle’s Computer Really Run on Just One Megabyte of RAM?

Our experts tackle your nagging questions

By Christopher Mims Posted 02.03.2009 at 11:16 am 31 Comments

Vintage Tech The shuttle’s pea brain is smart enough to control a launch. Sandra Joseph/Kevin O’Connell/NASA

It’s true: The brain of NASA’s primary vehicle has the computational power of an IBM 5150, that ’80s icon that goes for $20 at yard sales. According to NASA and IBM, the shuttle’s General Purpose Computer (GPC)—which controls, among other things, the entire launch sequence—is an upgrade of the 500-kilobyte computer the shuttle flew with until 1991.
Such an antiquated computer works just fine for NASA. The shuttle doesn’t need to support a powerful graphics engine or create PowerPoint presentations or store MP3s. It focuses entirely on raw functions—thrusters on, thrusters off—which, though mathematically complex, don’t require the juice that a user interface like Windows calls for. The GPC has flown so many missions with hardly a hiccup that there’s no reason to replace it, even if it is just 0.005 percent as powerful as an Xbox 360. Besides, a complete overhaul would be horrendously expensive. The GPC’s software would have to be completely reconfigured for a modern computer and tested until proven flawless.
For proof that you shouldn’t fix a space computer if it ain’t broke, consider Russia’s Soyuz space capsule, which since 1974 has been running Argon-16 flight-computer software with just six kilobytes of RAM. In 2003 the Russians rewrote some of the spacecraft’s software, which experts suspect led to its subsequent crash-landing in a desert in Kazakhstan.

Deal of the Century!!!

April 21, 2011 09:25 AM Eastern Daylight Time 

Regal Entertainment Group Offers AARP Members Value-Priced Concession Combination

Relationship gives AARP members up to a 49% discount on a bundled purchase of a 32 oz. soft drink and a 64 oz. popcorn.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Regal Entertainment Group today announced a new relationship with AARP that makes a discount on concessions available to AARP members, who are among the fastest growing segment of the U.S. frequent-movie-going population. The value combination for AARP members will be offered at $5.50, representing up to a 49% discount, and includes a 32 oz. soft drink and a 64 oz. popcorn.

“AARP members love to see movies and our relationship with Regal makes it easy for them to go out and have fun, while enjoying a discount”

“By providing this discount to millions of AARP members, Regal Entertainment Group is able to offer another great incentive for visiting our theatres. Regal is proud of our relationship with AARP and we will continue to encourage moviegoers who are 50+ to more frequently enjoy a trip to the movies,” said Greg Dunn, President and Chief Operating Officer for Regal Entertainment Group.
“AARP members love to see movies and our relationship with Regal makes it easy for them to go out and have fun, while enjoying a discount,” said Angela Jones, AARP Services, Inc., senior vice president. “We’re pleased to work with Regal Entertainment Group to make this discount available to AARP members who are looking for great entertainment at a great price.”
To take advantage of this member offer, AARP members must present their AARP membership card at the time of concession purchase. For more information, visit www.aarp.org/regal.

Pizza Scam Warning!

Pizza delivery ploy targets hotels and motels

RIP-OFF ALERT: Do I have the weirdest alert for you. The Orlando Sentinel reports that criminals are printing up fliers for bogus pizza specials and putting them on or under the doors of hotel and motel rooms.
Here's how this rip-off plays out: Travelers return to their hotel room and will call to order a pizza upon finding the flier. The nice person on the other end of the line gets your credit or debit card number and says your pizza will be delivered in a half hour. Then they take that info and instantly start using your card number around the world as part of a criminal ring.
The pizza never shows up, of course, because there is no legitimate pizza parlor. The whole thing is a con to get your credit or debit card number.
Florida passed a law passed 6 years ago that was supposedly going to crack down on this kind of activity, yet it's had no effect. Of course, this crime could be duplicated anywhere in the country. But I don't want your mind to go to the school of paranoia.
Here's my advice: Before you order takeout off a flier, you might want to verify that the business is a real one. Use the phone book if available to check it out. Or use your smartphone (or a computer) to visit Yelp.com, Kudzu.com or other local review services to check out the alleged restaurant.
Will you actually lose money because of this rip-off? Maybe some or even none if you notify your bank of fraudulent activity in a timely manner. But it's the hassle factor when your credit or debit card is compromised, that's what I want you to avoid.